JETHRO TULL AND TILLAGE: A MIXED LEGACY AND AN IMPORTANT LESSON Eventually deserts spread as the climate became drier. Although this cropping system lasted for many centuries, it resulted in excessive erosion, organic matter loss and nutrient depletion, especially in the Mediterranean region, where it caused extensive soil degradation. Sometimes, fields were burned after crop harvest to remove remaining crop residues and to control pests. Animal traction (oxen, horses, etc.) was generally employed to accomplish this arduous task because the power and energy requirements for tilling entire fields are generally beyond human capabilities.Īt the end of the growing season, the entire crop was harvested because the straw also had considerable economic value for animal bedding, roofing thatch, brick making and fuel. The loosened soil also tended to provide a more favorable rooting environment, facilitating seedling survival and plant growth. In the early days of agriculture soil was loosened by a simple ard (scratch plow) in several directions. It also gave the crop a head start against a new flush of weeds and stimulated mineralization of organic nutrients to forms that plants could use. The primary reason was to create a fine, clean seedbed, thereby greatly improving germination over broadcasting seed on untilled ground. Tillage was first done by farmers who grew small-grain crops, such as wheat, rye and barley, primarily in western Asia (the Fertile Crescent), Europe and northern Africa. If we know that tillage is damaging to soils, why has it been so widely practiced? Before we discuss different tillage systems, let’s consider why people started tilling ground in the first place. But we know that soil disturbance is generally bad for long-term soil health. the way to attain it is to use an implement that is incapable of burying the trash it encounters in other words, any implement except the plow.Īlthough tillage is an ancient practice, the question of which tillage system is most appropriate for any particular field or farm is still difficult to answer. the crying need is for a soil surface similar to that which we find in nature. Soils for Urban Farms, Gardens and Green Spaces Which Tillage System is Right for Your Farm?.Managing for High-Quality Soils and Focusing on Organic Matter Management Soil Degradation: Erosion, Compaction, and Contamination What Is Organic Matter and Why Is It So Important Or call to order: (301) 779-1007 Table of contents
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